George Arthur Rowley Jr.(21 April 1926 – 19 December 2002), nicknamed"The Gunner"because of his explosive left-foot shot,[1]was an Englishfootballplayer and cricketer. He holds the record for themost goals in the history of English league football,scoring 434 from 619 league games. He was the younger brother ofManchester UnitedfootballerJack Rowley.He was shortlisted for inclusion into theEnglish Football Hall of Famein 2008.[2][3]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | George Arthur Rowley Jr. | ||
| Date of birth | 21 April 1926 | ||
| Place of birth | Wolverhampton,England | ||
| Date of death | 19 December 2002(aged 76) | ||
| Place of death | Shrewsbury,England | ||
| Position(s) | Inside left | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1941–1944 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1946–1948 | West Bromwich Albion | 24 | (4) |
| 1948–1950 | Fulham | 56 | (27) |
| 1950–1958 | Leicester City | 303 | (251) |
| 1958–1965 | Shrewsbury Town | 236 | (152) |
| Total | 619 | (434) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1958–1968 | Shrewsbury Town | ||
| 1968–1969 | Sheffield United | ||
| 1970–1976 | Southend United | ||
| c.1976 | Knighton Town | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
He holds the club record for the most goals in a single season at bothLeicester CityandShrewsbury Town,scoring 44 goals in 42 league matches at Leicester in1956–57[1]and 38 goals in 43 games for Shrewsbury in1958–59.He is also Shrewsbury's record league goalscorer with 152 league goals.[4]He is Leicester's second all-time top goalscorer, netting 265 times for the Foxes, 8 goals short ofArthur Chandler's record.[5]
Early life
editGeorge Arthur Rowley was the third son of Mark Rowley, a well known goalkeeper playing semi-professionally in the Birmingham League. Born in Wolverhampton where he was educated atDudley Road Schooland later atSt Peter's Collegiate School,he started his career originally as a centre-half before moving up front where his prowess in the forward line won him an early selection into the school's first team. He went on to win local honours with Wolverhampton and County honours with both Birmingham and Staffordshire. He was selected for England schoolboys but the outbreak of the war robbed him of the opportunity.[6]
Playing career
editManchester United
editOn leaving school in 1940, Rowley went to work for a sheet metal firm doing war work before joining his older brother Jack in Manchester. Thus Rowley began his career atManchester United,signing as an Amateur just four days after his 15th birthday. The following day, 26 April 1941, at 15 years and 5 days old, he became the youngest ever player to feature in the Manchester United first team when he lined up alongside Jack in a war-time league match againstLiverpoolatAnfield.
Rowley went on to play seven times for the United first team before being released in May 1944.[7]
West Bromwich Albion
editRowley also played regularly as an amateur atWolverhampton Wanderersas guest during the war, before turning professional withWest Bromwich Albionlater in the summer of 1944. However, he struggled atThe Hawthornsboth to score goals and gain a regular place in the first team.
Fulham
editAlbion sold Rowley early in the 1948–49 season toFulham,where he immediately found his goal-scoring touch, scoring 19 goals in 22 appearances as he helped the side to theSecond Divisiontitle.
Rowley failed to recapture his form in theFirst Divisionas he scored only 7 goals.
Leicester City
editAt the end of his first season in the top flight he was sold toLeicester City.There was much criticism from Leicester fans originally towards managerNorman Bullockon signing the relatively unproven Rowley as a replacement for the well-likedJack Lee.However, after a slow start as a centre forward, Bullock moved Rowley into the "number 10" inside left role which is where he would make his name at the Foxes, on 23 September, in which Rowley scored Leicester's consolation goal in a 2–1 defeat toCoventry City."[8]By the end of his debut season, his 28 goals had appeased the crowd, though the club still finished in a disappointing 14th position.[9]
It was in his second season that Rowley began to make a name for himself as he brokeArthur Chandler's club record for the most goals in a season, netting 38 times. He then broke his own record again the following season, scoring 41 times in 42 games, 39 of these goals coming in the league, earning him theSecond Divisiongolden boot award.[10]He scored a further 36 goals in the1953–54season helping fire Leicester to the Second Division title.
However, Leicester lasted just one season in the First Division as they were relegated back to the second tier at the first attempt. A couple of seasons later, in1956–57,Rowley broke the club record for the most goals in a season for the third time, scoring 44 times in 42 games (this record still stands today), again earning him the Second Division top goalscorer award and again leading Leicester to the Second Division title. Rowley scored a further 20 times in 25 games in1957–58to help Leicester this time avoid relegation back to the second tier.
HoweverDave Hallidaydecided to sell Rowley in the summer of 1958 when he was just 8 goals short of Arthur Chandler's club record for the all-time top goalscorer. This led to a loss of faith by the fans and ultimately his sacking 2 months into the1958–59season.[8]
In his 8 seasons atFilbert Streetoverall, Rowley scored 265 goals in 321 games, including 16 hat-tricks.[8]
Shrewsbury Town
editIn the summer of 1958 Rowley left Leicester, who were playing in the First Division, to become the player-manager ofShrewsbury Townof the newly createdFourth Division.In his first season at theGay MeadowRowley led Shrewsbury to promotion with a haul of 38 goals in 43 games, winning the Fourth Division golden boot.[11]He followed that up in theThird Divisionas he continued scoring prolifically, netting 32, 28, 23 and 24 times over the next four seasons, before falling away in his last couple of seasons with the club as he began to put on weight and became less mobile, but his influence on the pitch was still to be seen, even employing himself as a makeshift defender on occasion, before finally retiring in 1965.[12][13]
Management career
editSheffield United
editAfter retiring as a player Rowley managed Shrewsbury for another four years before becoming manager ofSheffield Unitedon 11 July 1968. United had just been relegated to Division Two but despite good signings who would later gain the team promotion, results were disappointing and he was sacked on 6 August 1969.
He managedSouthend Unitedfrom 1970 to 1976 and was also assistant manager ofTelford Unitedand manager of non-leagueKnighton TownandOswestry Townbefore leaving football.[14]
Cricketing career
editRowley representedShropshirein threeMinor Counties Championshipmatches between 1961 and 1962 as a right-handed batsman and aleg breakbowler, and played at club level for Rolls-Royce in Shrewsbury.[15]
Later life
editRowley made his home in the suburb ofCopthorne, Shrewsbury.He continued to visit the Gay Meadow as a spectator. In 2000, he was voted by Shrewsbury Town their 'player of the century'. He died in December 2002 aged 76 and was buried on Saturday 26 December (Bo xing Day) in Shrewsbury General Cemetery in Longden Road.[16]His headstone, in Plot 18, describes him as a "record breaking football hero".[6]
Honours
editFulham
- Second Divisionchampions:1948–49
Leicester City
- Second Divisionchampions:1953–54,1956–57
Individual
- Second Divisiontop goalscorer: (with Leicester City)1952–53,1956–57
- Fourth Divisiontop goalscorer: (with Shrewsbury Town)1958–59
Career statistics
edit| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| West Bromwich Albion | 1946–47 | Second Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1947–48 | Second Division | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 4 | |
| 1948–49 | Second Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 24 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 4 | ||
| Fulham | 1948–49 | Second Division | 22 | 19 | ? | 0 | ? | 19 |
| 1949–50 | First Division | 34 | 8 | ? | 0 | ? | 8 | |
| Total | 56 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 59 | 27 | ||
| Leicester City | 1950–51 | Second Division | 39 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 28 |
| 1951–52 | Second Division | 42 | 38 | 2 | 0 | 44 | 38 | |
| 1952–53 | Second Division | 41 | 39 | 1 | 2 | 42 | 41 | |
| 1953–54 | Second Division | 42 | 30 | 8 | 6 | 50 | 36 | |
| 1954–55 | First Division | 36 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 23 | |
| 1955–56 | Second Division | 36 | 29 | 3 | 6 | 39 | 35 | |
| 1956–57 | Second Division | 42 | 44 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 44 | |
| 1957–58 | First Division | 25 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 20 | |
| Total | 303 | 251 | 18 | 14 | 321 | 265 | ||
| Shrewsbury Town | 1958–59 | Fourth Division | 43 | 38 | 5 | 1 | 48 | 39 |
| 1959–60 | Third Division | 41 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 42 | 33 | |
| 1960–61 | Third Division | 40 | 28 | 13 | 4 | 53 | 32 | |
| 1961–62 | Third Division | 41 | 23 | 7 | 6 | 48 | 29 | |
| 1962–63 | Third Division | 40 | 24 | 5 | 3 | 45 | 27 | |
| 1963–64 | Third Division | 19 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 5 | |
| 1964–65 | Third Division | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | |
| Total | 236 | 152 | 31 | 15 | 267 | 167[17] | ||
| Career total | 619 | 434 | 52 | 29 | 671 | 463 | ||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ab"The Transfer Record: Arthur Rowley".Leicester City F.C.Retrieved10 April2024.
- ^"Bid to honour footballer Rowley".BBC News.5 October 2007.Archivedfrom the original on 11 October 2007.Retrieved6 October2007.
- ^Gray, William (20 December 2002)."Record goalscorer dies".The Daily Telegraph.London.Retrieved12 May2015.
- ^Tribute to Town Legend Rowleybbc.co.uk, retrieved 20 February 2011]
- ^Leading GoalscorersArchived8 September 2012 at theWayback Machinelcfc, retrieved 20 February 2011
- ^abFrancis, Peter (2006).A Matter of Life and Death, The Secrets of Shrewsbury Cemetery.Logaston Press. p. 102.ISBN978-1-904396-58-1.
- ^Sons of United- Steve Hobin & Tony Park
- ^abcDave Smith & Paul Taylor (2010).Of Fossils and Foxes.ISBN978-1-905411-94-8.
- ^English Division Two (old) 1950–1951: TableArchived16 January 2010 at theWayback Machinestatto, retrieved 20 February 2011
- ^Football League Div 1 & 2 Leading Goalscorers 1947–92Archived28 June 2011 at theWayback Machinersssf, retrieved 20 February 2011
- ^Football League Div 3 & 4 Leading Goalscorers 1947–92rsssf.org, retrieved 20 February 2011
- ^Obituary – Arthur Rowley – Prolific goalscorer blessed with an explosive left footThe Guardian(London), retrieved 20 February 2011
- ^Arthur Rowley – ObituaryThe Independent(London), retrieved 20 February 2011
- ^"Arthur Rowley".The Daily Telegraph.23 December 2002. Archived fromthe originalon 25 December 2007.Retrieved6 October2007.
- ^Percival, Tony (1999).Shropshire Cricketers 1844-1998.A.C.S. Publications, Nottingham. pp. 38, 57.ISBN1-902171-17-9.Published by Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians.
- ^A Matter of Life and Death, The Secrets of Shrewsbury Cemetery.p. 104.
- ^Breathe On 'Em Salop - The Second Coming by Mike Jones